Dramatherapy Work
Youth Work
Tamsin's experience spans working with children in nursery, primary and secondary schools, and a pupil referral unit. This work has involved group therapy as well as one-to-one sessions with children from a wide range of cultures. The aims within sessions were various, including anger management, emotional expression/safe containment, building relationships and trust, social skills, self-esteem, well-being, and creative and imaginative play.
Special Needs Youth Work
Tamsin has worked with children in primary schools with a wide range of difficulties, including autistic spectrum disorder, Asperger's syndrome, ADHD, and speech and language disorders. Tamsin has facilitated group and one-to-one sessions. Aims included interaction in relationship, developmental work (e.g. physical awareness, attention and concentration), emotional expression and safe containment, self-esteem, well-being, and creative and imaginative play.
Tamsin has also undertaken voluntary work (for two years once a week) with children aged three to five, with difficulties including Downs syndrome, autism, hyperactivity, and a wide range of physical impairments.
Personal Development
Tamsin has experience working with individuals, on a one to one basis, who wish to look at their feelings towards their life events and relationships. This work aims at being a collaborative exploration of difficulties an individual may be facing, helping each individual to develop a creative and new outlook, growing towards change.
Older People
Tamsin has experience working in residential and nursing care homes. Tamsin co-facilitates group dramatherapy for individuals with difficulties including: dementia, learning difficulties, physical disability, schizophrenia and depression. Aims within sessions are in line with person centred care including: comfort, identity, inclusion, attachment and occupation. Ongoing aims develop in line with the needs and difficulties of specific individuals, as well as the needs of the group.
Mental Health
Tamsin has worked in a NHS hospital, facilitating open-group work with adult mental health inpatients. Difficulties included bipolar depression, schizophrenia and Asperger's syndrome. Aims within sessions included emotional expression and self-containment (particularly focusing on the difference between emotional states and their opposites), reflecting on feelings and personal process, imagination and creativity, and self-esteem and well-being (particularly valuing the Self and individual contributions).
Physical/Psychosomatic Pain
Tamsin has worked in a Homoeopathic Hospital with adult outpatients facilitating group therapy. Difficulties included chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, TMJ, bowel difficulties, and emotional trauma. Aims included altering self-perceptions (particularly in relation to identifying with pain, and attitudes towards the body), exploring new movement patterns, increasing the ability to reflect on and process emotions, imagination and creativity (ability to play and be flexible in body and thought), group support from shared experience, self-esteem and well-being.